Women's WXV1

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WXV FIXTURES

FRIDAY 20th OCTOBER 2023

WXV2

USA v Scotland - 1pm

Italy v South Africa - 3.30pm

WXV3

Kazakhstan v Kenya - 2pm

Spain v Fiji - 4.30pm


SATURDAY 21st OCTOBER 2023

WXV1

Canada v Wales - 4am

New Zealand v France - 7am

WXV2

Japan v Samoa - 3pm

WXV3

Ireland v Colombia - 2pm

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WXV RESULTS

FRIDAY 20th OCTOBER 2023

WXV2

USA 14 Scotland 24

Italy 36 South Africa 18

WXV3

Kazakhstan 18 Kenya 12

Spain 26 Fiji 19

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WXV FIXTURES

FRIDAY 27th OCTOBER 2023

WXV1

ENGLAND v Canada - 7am

WXV2

Scotland v Japan - 1pm

South Africa v Samoa - 3.30pm

WXV3

Kazakhstan v Fiji - 2pm

Kenya v Colombia - 4.30pm


SATURDAY 28th OCTOBER 2023

WXV1

New Zealand v Wales - 4am

France v Australia - 7am

WXV2

USA v Italy - 4pm

WXV3

Ireland v Spain - 2pm

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WXV RESULTS

FRIDAY 27th OCTOBER 2023

WXV2

South Africa 33 Samoa 7

WXV3

Kenya 21 Colombia 5


SATURDAY 28th OCTOBER 2023

WXV1

New Zealand 70 Wales 7
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Ruby Tui ran in four of the Black Ferns' 12 tries in Dunedin


France 20 Australia 29


WXV2

USA 8 Italy 30


WXV3

Ireland 15 Spain 13
Ireland edge out Spain in tight encounter to claim inaugural title win in third-tier of new competition
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WXV2: Scotland lifting inaugural trophy 'just the beginning' - captain Rachel Malcolm

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Rachel Malcolm and head coach Bryan Easson are delighted to lift the WXV2 trophy

Captain Rachel Malcolm says winning the inaugural WXV2 has just "scratched the surface" of what Scotland's national women's rugby union team is capable.

The Scots edged out Italy on points difference to top the new worldwide competition's second tier and have now won their past six games.

"We believed this was coming, but we also believe that this is just the beginning," Malcolm told BBC Scotland.

"There's so much more to come from this group."

Having beaten Japan in their final game of three in South Africa, Bryan Easson's squad had a nervous wait before Italy fell just short of the required winning margin in Sunday's game against United States.

"Incredibly happy - ecstatic," was Malcolm's reaction. "We had to watch it - it was a very long 80 minutes, a tough watch.

"Italy are a class outfit and they performed incredibly well against USA and it was so, so tight and it obviously came down to very fine margins in the end. I guess luck was on our side big time and we had done just enough."

Malcolm said that the Scots always felt "it's our time".

"We came here with the goal of winning the tournament but also creating incredible memories both on and off the pitch and we've absolutely done that," the Loughborough Lightning flanker said.

"Everything seemed to align. It's the first time we've won a trophy since 2001. It is also the first time we've beaten the USA since 2001 and it's also the first time we've won six games on the trot since 2001."

The Scots' winning run - they also defeated the hosts in South Africa - is in stark contrast to their previous results.

"Within those 12 defeats, there was so much potential," Malcolm said. "We don't always get the belief of others external to this group and we don't always get the support of others external to this group, but we stuck to it and really didn't listen to some of the people who might have doubted us along the way.

"Particularly after the World Cup last year, we took a really tough look at ourselves, both as a management team and a player group, and I think the growth that you've seen has not just happened overnight."

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Malcolm said the Scots are not dwelling on the fact there is no promotion available from WXV2 until 2026.

"It hasn't crossed our minds at this minute," she said. "Getting our hands on the trophy was all we had our sights set on. We weren't thinking about what's next."

However, Malcolm thinks it is "incredibly exciting" looking forward to next year's Six Nations.

"This is not the pinnacle for us," she insisted. "It is the crest of the wave and we want to keep pushing on and this season's Six Nations has big implications in terms of World Cup qualification.

"We couldn't be in a better place in terms of competing in this season's Six Nations."

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WXV - RESULT

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Friday 3rd November 2023

WXV1

Australia 25 (Tries: Stewart, Karpani, Cramer, Wong Con: Dallinger Pen: Dallinger) Wales 19 (Tries: Phillips, penalty try, K Jones Con: Bevan)

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WXV1: Australia 25-19 Wales..By Ceri Coleman-Phillips..BBC Sport Wales at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland
Wasteful Wales ended their debut WXV campaign winless after failing to beat 14-player Australia in Auckland.
The Wallaroos played almost the entire second half without Siokapesi Palu who was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle, but they still managed to run in three tries.
Kelsey Jones' late score ensured a dramatic finish, but Wales were once again left to rue missed chances.
They finish a largely disappointing tournament bottom of the table.
Australia meanwhile can celebrate two wins over Six Nations teams having beaten France last weekend.
Wales went into this game have never beaten Australia in five previous meetings, while also seeking to avenge last year's Rugby World Cup defeat.

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Jasmine Joyce went for a head injury assessment after Siokapesi Palu's dangerous tackle

Line-ups
Australia: Faitala Moleka; Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Arabella McKenzie, Ivania Wong; Carys Dallinger, Layne Morgan; Brianna Hoy, Tania Naden, Eva Karpani, Sera Naiqama, Michaela Leonard (capt), Siokapesi Palu, Emily Chancellor, Kaitlan Leaney.

Replacements: Adiana Talakai, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Bride O'Gorman, Atasi Lafai, Ashley Marsters, Jay Huriwai, Cecilia Smith, Lori Cramer.

Wales: Jasmine Joyce; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Hannah Bluck, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipolotu, Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans, Kate Williams, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis.

Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Abbey Constable, Cerys Hale, Alisha Butchers, Sioned Harries, Meg Davies, Robyn Wilkins, Kerin Lake.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)

WXV: World Rugby director says competition's crowds 'need to and will grow'..

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England sit top of the WXV1 standings with one game to go

WXV crowds "need to and will grow", says World Rugby's director of women's rugby Sally Horrox.

The WXV is a new annual three-tier global tournament which launched in October.

Sparse crowds have been highlighted with England captain Marlie Packer calling the supporter turnout "disappointing".

"There is a degree of introducing the competition to the public," Horrox told BBC Sport.

"I have every confidence there, I can see the appetite is there.

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"The fan base needs to grow - it will grow, it will evolve in time. This is is the first time this competition has come to town."

The three tiers of competition are being held in three different locations with WVX1 in New Zealand, WXV2 in South Africa and WXV3 in Dubai.

Horrox added WXV1 has seen 8,000-10,000 supporters over a weekend. Three games are played across a single weekend during the three-week competition.

She added: "As we evolve the competition, [we will have] more certainty, more long term planning so people know more about it and [will have] more advanced notice."

All three tiers of the inaugural WXV started while the men's Rugby World Cup was being played, with WXV2 and WXV3 both finishing on the same day as the men's final.

Horrox said it "wasn't possible" this time to move the competition to avoid clashing with the men's game but in future they will not be played at the same time.

"It will be in the global window but we will not put it up against a men's Rugby World Cup in the future," she said.

WXV1 will conclude on Saturday with France taking on Canada at 3am and England facing New Zealand at 6pm.

WXV1: England 33-12 New Zealand - Red Roses avenge World Cup final loss to clinch inaugural title..By Phil Cartwright, BBC Sport.

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Wins over Australia, Canada and New Zealand confirmed England as the first winners of WXV1

England became the inaugural WXV1 champions with a 33-12 win over world champions New Zealand in Auckland.

The Red Roses capitalised on a fine start against the Black Ferns to end as the WXV top tier's only unbeaten team.

Facing the side that beat them in last year's World Cup final, England started quickly with tries from Alex Matthews, Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern.

Kennedy Simon and Katelyn Vahaakolo replied, before Morwenna Talling and Zoe Aldcroft put England beyond reach.

As well as confirming them as the first winners of women's rugby's new global tournament, England's victory also ensured they will stay ahead of New Zealand at the top of the world rankings.

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England captain Marlie Packer: "In every game this tournament we grew as a group and I'm super proud of that performance.
"Beating New Zealand in their own back yard, there's no better feeling. They put on a fantastic game for us, they didn't stop right until the end so full credit to them."

England interim head coach Louis Deacon: "I'm massively proud, they were absolutely outstanding, they executed our plan really well. They're a new group but they've grown as the competition's gone on and they were outstanding today.
"There's still a long way to go, which is really exciting. We're only at the beginning of the journey, John Mitchell has got a few things that he wants to put in place and we're only going to improve from here."